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Abstract:

An actuating device for transmitting shift commands to an automatic
gearbox of a motor vehicle. The actuating device comprises a selector
lever which is movable in a selector lane between an automatic shift lane
and a sequential shift lane, a shift carriage for transmitting the shift
commands to a gearbox transmission element, a separating device for
separating the force transmission between the selector lever and the
shift carriage, and a locking device for blocking the selector lever in
at least one selector lever position. The locking device is set up to
block the shift carriage. The shift carriage can be blocked not only in
the shift-lock positions but also in the position of the shift carriage
which corresponds to the selector lane position of the selector lever.

Claims:

1-5. (canceled)

6. An actuating device for transmitting a shift command to an automatic
transmission of a vehicle, the actuating device comprises a movable
selector lever (6) positioned in a selector lane (5), between an
automatic shift lane (3) and a sequential shift lane (4), a shift carrier
(9) for transmitting the shift command to a transmission transmitting
element (7), a separating device (8, 11) for separating the transmitted
force between the selector lever (6) and the shift carrier (9), an
actuating lock device (12) for locking the selector lever (6) in at least
one selector lever position, and the lock device (12) enables locking of
the shift carrier (9) when shift carrier (9) is positioned in at least
the selector lane (5) of the selector lever (6).

7. The actuating device according to claim 6, wherein the lock device
(12) is an electromagnetic actuator having an anchor pin (13).

8. The actuating device according to claim 6, wherein, when the selector
lever (6) is moved into either the sequential shift lane (4) or a manual
gear shift position (M), the actuation device activates the lock device
(12).

9. The actuating device according to claim 6, wherein the separating
device (8, 11), for separating the transmitted force between the selector
lever (6) and the shift carrier (9), comprises a substantially
symmetrical H-shape gate notch (11) and a gate pin (8) which is connected
to the selector lever (6).

10. The actuating device according to claim 6, wherein a selector lever
assembly, comprising the selector lever (6), a selector lever bearing (2)
and a gate pin holder, are constructed as a single piece.

11. An actuating device for transmitting a shift command to an automatic
transmission of a vehicle, the actuating device comprises: a movable
selector lever (6) being movable within one of an automatic shift lane
(3) and a sequential shift lane (4) via a selector lane (5) located
between the automatic shift lane (3) and the sequential shift lane (4), a
shift carrier (9) for transmitting the shift command to a transmission
transmitting element (7), a separating device (8, 11) for separating the
transmitted force between the selector lever (6) and the shift carrier
(9), and an actuating lock device (12) for locking the selector lever (6)
in at least one selector lever position, and when shift carrier (9) is
positioned in at least one of the selector lane (5) and the sequential
shift lane (4), the lock device (12) enables locking of the shift carrier
(9) so that a shifting of the transmission is carried out electronically.

12. An actuating device for shifting an automatic transmission of a
vehicle, the actuating device comprising: a selector lever (6) being
shiftable, via a selector lane (5), between an automatic shift lane (3)
and a sequential shift lane (4); a shift carriage (9) for transmitting
shifting force from the selector lever (6) to a transmission linkage
element (7), and the shift carriage (9) being coupled to an H-shaped
channel (11); a gate pin (8) being coupled to the selector lever (6) and
being accommodated within the H-shaped channel such that shifting the
selector lever (6) controls movement of the gate pin (8) within the
H-shaped channel (11), and the transmission of the shifting force from
the selector lever (6) to the transmission linkage element (7) being
interrupted when the gate pin (8) is moved from a center position of the
H-shaped channel (11) to facilitate electronic shifting of the
transmission; and a lock device (12) being actuatable to lock movement of
the shift carriage (9), and the lock device (12) locking movement of the
shift carriage (9) at least when the selector lever (6) is moved into the
selector lane (5).

Description:

[0001] This application is a National Stage completion of
PCT/DE2008/050021 filed

[0003] The invention relates to an actuating device for transmitting shift
commands to an automatic transmission of a.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0004] A similar type of activating device is known to the applicant, for
instance, from patent documentation DE 102 52 009 B4. The known actuator
device comprises a selector lever which is movable in a selector lane,
between an automatic shift lane and a sequence shift lane. The known
actuating device also comprises a kinematic transmitter having a shift
carriage for a detachable coupling of the selector lever motion to a
transmission-transmitter element, for instance towards a gear shift rod
or towards a pull cable link connected with the transmission.

[0005] It is required in such conventional generic actuating devices,
which have an automatic shift lane as well as a sequence shift lane, that
the mechanical link, needed to actuate the transmission in the automatic
shift lane between the selector lever and the transmission, always open
at the point when the selector lever is positioned in the tipping lane or
sequential shift lane, respectively, since transmitting the shift
commands to the transmission in the sequential shift lane do not--like in
the automatic shift lane--happen mechanically but via electrical or
electronic means. To provide smooth motion of the selector lever and to
avoid, at the same time, unwanted changes of the gear position while the
selector lever is moved in the sequential shift lane, there is a
mechanical separation in the generic actuating devices between the
selector lever and transmission transmitter or a pull cable link,
respectively.

[0006] At the same time, it is necessary to inhibit kinematic separation,
by the selector lever, of the transmission-transmitter element, for
instance the pull cable link, with the transmission as long mechanically
until the transmitting element, upon return of the selector lever into
the automatic shift lane, is again kinematically coupled with the
selector lever.

[0007] The known state of the art actuating devices achieve detachable,
kinematic coupling between the selector lever and the
transmission-transmitting element--meaning mostly the transmission pull
cable link--and also, at the same time, the locking or blocking of the
transmitting elements, when the selector lever is disengaged and
positioned in the sequential shift lane, often through an elaborate
locking configuration.

[0008] Specifically, the state of the art tries to separate the mechanical
link between the selector lever with the shift carriage or
transmission-transmitting element, respectively, with one and the same
sideway lever motion of the selector lever--along the selector lane
between the automatic shift lane and the sequence shift lane, as well as
additionally and, at the same time, to lock the shift carriage or the
transmission-transmitter, respectively, relative to the enclosure of the
actuation device, therefore locking it against actuation or sliding.

[0009] Such kinematic release of the selector lever from the shift
carriage, and the simultaneous blocking of the shift carriage, relative
to the enclosure of the actuating device, leads to configurations known
art with mechanically complicated and sophisticated blocking mechanisms
with numerous meshing parts. Hereby, it is also required, due to
potentially larger misapplied forces by the selector lever, that
especially the blocking configuration needs to be designed as very
robust, causing the use of more expensive parts.

[0010] Another problem of the described, known actuating devices is the
fact that, because of a robust design and construction of the blocking
mechanism, due to potentially larger forces, the selector lever kinetics
becomes stiffer and requires more force, therefore, reducing the ease of
use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Based on this background, the inventive task is to create an
actuating device for an automatic transmission with the blocking
mechanism to inhibit the separation between selector lever and
transmitting element, while the selector lever is positioned in the
sequential shift lane, can be constructively, significantly simplified,
whereby, at the same time, actuation under all operating conditions
should be safe and smooth. Another task of the invention is to reduce the
cost, as compared to the known state of the art, and simplify
construction of the actuating devices.

[0012] This task is solved by an actuating device in accordance with this
invention. Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0013] First and on its own and as known, the inventive actuating device
serves the purpose of transmitting shift commands, especially to an
automatic transmission of a motor vehicle.

[0014] Hereby, the invention comprises a selector lever positioned in a
selector lane, between an automatic shift lane and a sequential shift
lane, where it can be moved sideways back and forth, also a shift
carriage for transmitting shift commands to a transmission-transmitting
element, for instance to a rod configuration or to a pull cable link, as
well as a separating device for separating transmission of force between
the selector lever and the shift carriage. Also, the actuating device, by
itself, comprises a known actuator lock device through which the selector
lever position--to achieve the shiftlock function--can be locked, in at
least one selector lever position.

[0015] In this invention, the actuating device distinguishes itself by
providing a lock device which is needed for the realization of the
shiftlock function for locking the shift carriage. Hereby and in
addition, the shift carriage, via the lock device, can be locked in the
present position of the shift carriage and when the selector lever is
positioned in the selector lane position.

[0016] This first results in a constructively, especially simple
realization for locking the transmission actuation--meaning the blocking
of the shift carriage or the transmission-transmitter element,
respectively--while the selector lever is positioned in the sequential
shift lane.

[0017] Compared to the state of the art, the inventive actuating device
possesses a distinct advantage by using only a fraction of the number of
needed parts and can be kept comparably simple and robust.

[0018] The invention takes advantage of the fact that the actuating
devices for automatic transmissions, in most cases, already have a lock
actuator which is needed to achieve the safety relevant shiftlock. The
available lock actuator first hereby serves--by itself and known--in the
sense of a shiftlock, to keep the selector lever engaged in park lock "P"
or neutral position "N" as long as it is in the actual selector lever
position, until the driver actuates the brake pedal and keeps it
activated, while he moves the selector lever away from the park lock
position or neutral position, respectively. Hereby, possible uncontrolled
rolling of the vehicle, upon shifting to a drive position, is avoided.

[0019] In addition and in accordance with the invention, the available
lock actuator of the shiftlock is also used to keep the shift carriage of
the actuation device fixed, when the selector lever is moved along the
selector lane from the automatic shift lane into the sequence shift lane.

[0020] This means, in other words, that the sophisticated lock mechanisms,
where the shift carriage according to the state of the art during lateral
motion of the selector lever from the automatic shift lane into the
sequential shift lane gets disengaged and blocked, can be eliminated, due
to this invention, in favor of a constructively, significantly simpler,
more robustly designed lock device for the shift carriage which works on
the basis of the already available lock actuator of the shiftlock.

[0021] Therefore, it is only necessary, constructively by itself, to
achieve with known means--i.e., through a separation device which is
designed as gate guide separating the transmission of force between the
selector lever and the shift slide--that the selector lever is
kinematically separated from the transmission-transmitter element or the
shift carriage, respectively, during its sideway motion from the
automatic shift lane into the sequential shift lane.

[0022] At the same time, the shift carriage becomes locked, in accordance
with the invention, by means of the lock actuator of the shiftlock.

[0023] This invention can be enabled, independent of how the lock actuator
is constructed and positioned, as long as it is possible to block the
shift carriage by means of the lock actuator. In accordance with a
specially preferred embodiment of the invention, the lock actuator is
designed as an electro-mechanic actuator with a movable anchor pin.

[0024] This embodiment creates a very simple and robust configuration. The
anchor pin can be electro-mechanically deployed and can be directly
inserted into the corresponding lock chambers provided with the shift
carriage. Hereby, the different lock chambers, for the different locking
positions of the shiftlock, can simply be designed and arranged next to
each other (locked in park position or neutral position, respectively,
with the selector lever), as well as for locking the
transmission--transmitter element--when the selector lever is positioned
in the sequential shift lane.

[0025] According to another preferred embodiment of this invention, the
actuation device is designed to actuate the lock actuators, when shifting
the selector lever into the sequential shift lane or into the position
"M" (manual gear shift). Hereby, it is made sure that the lock carriage
and the transmission-transmitter element are blocked at the time, when
the selector lever is moved completely into the sequential shift lane.
Unnecessary activation of the lock device is avoided, upon touching or
partial movement of the selector lever along the selector lane, due to
this particular embodiment.

[0026] An additional specially preferred embodiment of this invention
comprises the separating device for separating, in principal, the force
between the selector lever and the shift carriage and the device is a
symmetrical H-shaped gate notch, in the shift carriage, and a gate pin
linked with the selector lever.

[0027] Based on the H-Shaped gate notch, the actuating device can be
adjusted with only minimal modifications, for vehicles with right
steering or vehicles for left steering, because the H-shaped gate notch
offers an average force transmitting range for the automatic shift lane,
between the gate pin and the shift carriage, and for the manual gear
change in either a left or right a motion range of the gate pin, with
reference to the average force transmitting range.

[0028] Depending on whether a vehicle is equipped with left hand steering
or right hand steering, a suitable shift gate for the selector lever and
the left or the right range of motion in the H-shaped gate notch can be
applied. In other words, according to this inventive actuation device, no
changes need to be made with regard to the separation device or the lock
device for vehicles with right hand steering or vehicles with left hand
steering.

[0029] Finally, an additional preferred embodiment provides that the
selector lever fitting, the selector lever bearing, and the gate pin
fitting are formed as a single part. This results in an especially simple
constructive design, which is produced in a cost-effective manner with a
minimal number of parts; and direct and play-free transfer of force is
obtained due to the single part design of the important, force
transmitting elements of the actuation unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In the following, the invention is presented, based on examples of
the embodiments in the drawings. It is shown in:

[0031] FIG. 1 is an isometric representation of an embodiment of an
actuating device in accordance with the present invention;

[0032]FIG. 2 is a shift scheme of the actuation device, according to FIG.
1, including the automatic shift lane and the sequential shift lane;

[0033]FIG. 3 is a side view of the actuation device, in accordance with
FIG. 1, and

[0034]FIG. 4 is a corresponding representation of the actuating device of
FIG. 1 in an enlarged view in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] In FIG. 1, an embodiment of an actuation device for an automatic
transmission, in accordance with the present invention, is presented.
First shown in the presentation of FIG. 1 is an open lever housing 1
having a lever bearing 2, a sliding lane 3, 4, as well as a lever 6 which
accommodates a knob, not shown, of the selector lever of the actuator
device.

[0036] FIG. 1 also shows the lever end of the transmitting element, in the
form of an embodiment of a pull cable 7, which transfers the shift
commands of the actuating device to the transmission of the vehicle. FIG.
2 shows the shift scheme of the actuating device. One can recognize the
automatic shift lane 3, the sequential shift lane 4 for manually changing
the shift position, as well as the selector lane 5 for the changing, by
way of the lateral movement of the selector lever, between the automatic
shift lane 3 and the sequential shift lane 4.

[0037] The transmission of the shift commands, in the presented
embodiment, occurs--when the selector lever, as shown here, is in the
automatic shift lane 3--from the selector lever 6 through a gate pin 8 to
a shift carriage 9, and from the shift carriage 9 through a linkage 10
and a pull cable 7 to the transmission. The selector lever fitting, or
selector lever bearing 2 and the gate pin fitting, are constructed as a
single plastic piece.

[0038] The shift carriage 9 has an H-shape gate with notches 11 to
accommodate and transmit the shift commands of the selector lever 6, via
the gate pin 8 on the shift carriage 9. If the selector lever is
positioned in the automatic shift lane 3, as shown in FIG. 1, the gate
pin 8 is located within the small, centered beam of the H-shaped gate
notches 11, with the opposite surfaces of the gate notch 11 in the shift
carriage 9 on both sides. In this centered, relative position of the gate
pin 8 in the gate notch 11 of the shift carriage 9, all swivel motions of
the selector lever 6 are transmitted to the shift carriage 9, practically
play-free, and therefore to the pull cable 7.

[0039] If, on the other hand, the selector lever 6 moves--through lateral
movement along the selector lane 5--from the automatic shift lane 3 into
the sequential shift lane 4, the gate pin 8 follows that lateral swivel
motion as well. The gate pin 8, due to the lateral motion of the selector
lever 6 is therefore moved, along the selector lane 5 to the sequential
shift lane 4 and into a rear section of the H-shaped gate notch 11, as
referenced in the drawing. However, transmission of these shift motions
of the selector lever 6 to the shift carriage 9 does not occur anymore
because the available effective length of the expanded H-shaped gate
notch 11 equals the available shift travel of the shift lever 6 within
the sequence shift lane 4 for tapping with the shift lever 6.

[0040] In other words, it means that with movement of the selector lever
6, from the automatic shift lane 3 into the sequential shift lane 4,
there is no kinetic separation between the gate pin 8 and the selector
lever 6, on one hand, and the shift carriage 9 and the pull cable 7, on
the other hand. Therefore, the selector lever 6 can be moved forward and
backward, in the sequential shift lane 4, and hereby initiate related
shift commands for a manual gear change which are electronically
forwarded to the transmission, without hereby moving the shift carriage 9
or the pull cable 7.

[0041] To ensure that the state of the transmission (in this case the
shift position "M") does not change as long as the selector lever 6
remains in the sequential shift lane 4, a lock device--like those in the
state of the art--is required which ensures that the pull cable 7 remains
in position as long as the selector lever 6 is moved back into the
automatic shift lane 3 and, therefore, the gate pin 8 again meshes with
the shift carriage 9. For this purpose and in accordance with the
invention, the actuating devices for automatic transmissions often use
available electromagnetic lock actuators 12.

[0042] The electromagnetic lock actuator 12 is needed to enable a
shiftlock-safety function whereby the shiftlock function ensures that a
drive step can only be engaged by shifting from position "P" to "N," when
the brake pedal is activated. For enabling the shiftlock function, the
shift carriage 9 has two lock chambers 14 (for the shift position "N")
and 16 (for the shift position "P", see FIG. 3), with which the movable
anchor of the lock actuator 12 can engage. Once the anchor is inserted
into one of the lock chambers 14, 16, the shift carriage 9, and also
therefore the pull cable 7, are fixed in their position and shift
commands cannot be transmitted through the pull cable 7 to the
transmission. Also, the selector lever 6 is locked by the gate pin 8, in
this case meshed with the shift carriage 9, so that the driver receives a
haptic signal that the shiftlock device is active.

[0043] The lock actuator 12 with its movable anchor 13, as well as the
lock chambers 14, 15, 16, positioned at the shift carriage 9, are clearly
shown in FIG. 3. In accordance with the invention, the lock chamber 14
corresponds with an additional lock option for the shift carriage 9,
which becomes effective at the point when the selector lever 6, as shown
in FIG. 3, is positioned in the center position "M" of the sequential
shift lane 4, or in the selector lane 5 (compare with FIG. 2). At the
same time, the gate pin 8 is disengaged from the shift carriage 9, which
means that no power transmission can take place between selector lever 6
and the shift carriage 9 or the pull cable 7, respectively, as long as
the selector lever 6 is respectively positioned in the sequential shift
lane 4 or the selector lane 5.

[0044] The lock chamber 16 of FIG. 3, as known in the state of the art
however, serves for the locking the shift carriage 9 and the pull cable
7, as well as the selector lever 6 in the park lock position "P" thus
enabling the shiftlock.

[0045] The enlarged presentation of FIG. 4 shows the electromagnetic lock
actuator 12 as well as both of the lock chambers 14 and 15. Hereby, the
lock chamber 15 serves to lock the shift carriage 9, the pull cable 7 and
the selector lever 6 in the neutral position "N", while the lock chamber
14, in accordance with the invention, is used to lock the shift carriage
9 and the pull cable 7 when the selector lever 6 is positioned in the
sequential shift lane 4 or in the selector lane 5, respectively (compare
with FIG. 2).

[0046] The result clearly presents that the invention creates an actuating
device, for an automatic transmission, in which the locking motions
required for the separation, between the selector lever and the
transmitting element as well as locking the transmitting element during a
manual gear change, becomes significantly simpler.

[0047] The actuating device, in accordance with the invention, also has a
robust construction and is easy to operate. In addition, in comparison to
actuating devices which are known in the state of the art, significant
cost savings can be achieved.